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In Kentucky, a Toe in G.O.P. Senate Race

By David M. Herszenhorn April 30, 2009 6:54 pmApril 30, 2009 6:54 pm

A prominent Kentucky Republican – Secretary of State Trey Grayson – has formed an exploratory committee for a possible run for the United States Senate next year, fueling speculation in Kentucky and in Washington that Senator Jim Bunning may be planning to retire.

But a spokesman for Mr. Bunning, Mike Reynard, refuted those rumors. “Senator Bunning has every intention of running, ” he said in an e-mailed statement.

Mr. Bunning, an eight-time major-league baseball All Star and Hall of Fame pitcher, is one of the most conservative Republicans in the Senate and is also regarded as one of the most vulnerable in next year’s elections. Now finishing up his second term, Mr. Bunning is a quirky lawmaker, known for occasionally making erratic, angry statements on the Senate floor. He barely eked out a victory in 2004, winning 50.7 percent of the vote while his Democratic challenger got 49.3 percent.

Many Republicans have been hoping that Mr. Bunning, 77, would decide not to seek re-election. Spreading rumors of his retirement could be an effort to pressure him to do so, allowing the party to field a more exciting candidate in a state that is reliably Republican. The state’s senior senator, Mitch McConnell, is the Republican leader. Mr. McConnell was re-elected easily last year, even though Democrats worked hard to oust him.

In Kentucky, Mr. Grayson issued a statement saying that while he had formed the exploratory committee, he did not plan to run against Mr. Bunning. Local Kentucky news organizations, and Politico, the Washington-based political Web site, quickly posted stories predicting that Mr. Bunning was ready to end his career, and that Mr. Grayson would not have formed the committee without Mr. Bunning’s blessing.

“I have no plans to run against Senator Bunning,” Mr. Grayson said in the statement. “This exploratory committee will allow me to travel the commonwealth, meet with potential supporters and lay the foundation for a campaign.”

A senior Republican Congressional aide said that Mr. Bunning had urged Mr. Grayson to form the exploratory committee and that Mr. Grayson visited Washington to meet with Mr. Bunning on Wednesday to personally get the go-ahead.

This aide was at a loss to explain why Mr. Bunning would then say on Thursday evening that he had every intention of running.

Before Mr. Bunning’s spokesman issued his statement, one Republican political official in Washington said that senior party strategists were unsure of the senator’s plans. “If it’s true, that is good news for us,” this official said, speaking on condition of anonymity, so as not to alienate Mr. Bunning. “But I am not totally bought into it.”

Mr. Bunning has struggled to raise money for his campaign. Already, two prominent Kentucky Democrats have announced that they will run for the Senate: Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo and Attorney General Jack Conway.

A senior Republican Congressional aide said that Mr. Bunning had urged Mr. Grayson to form the exploratory committee and that Mr. Grayson visited Washington to meet with Mr. Bunning on Wednesday to personally get the go-ahead.

This aide was at a loss to explain why Mr. Bunning would then say on Thursday evening that he had every intention of running.

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